In the exposure apparatus using extreme ultraviolet light of the wavelength of not more than about 100 nm (which will be referred to hereinafter as EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) light) as exposure light, its optical system is basically composed of reflective members and a reticle with a master pattern formed thereon is also a reflective type. Since the exposure apparatus using the EUV light is installed under a vacuum environment, an electrostatic chuck is used for holding each of the reticle and a semiconductor wafer onto which the pattern on the reticle is to be transferred (which will be referred to hereinafter simply as wafer). For gripping the reticle in vacuum by the electrostatic chuck, an electroconductive film is usually formed on the back surface of the reticle.
For preventing foreign matter from adhering to the reticle and for safely carrying the reticle between the atmospheric environment and the vacuum environment, the reticle is carried while kept in a protection device called a reticle pod. If the reticle becomes charged during the carrying operation of the reticle, it could cause electrostatic destruction of the pattern and electrostatic adhesion of foreign matter to the pattern surface of the reticle. For preventing these, there is the reticle pod proposed as one provided with an electroconductive portion with a flat surface at a position opposite to the back surface of the reticle so that the electroconductive film on the back surface of the reticle and, in turn, a substrate of the reticle can be grounded through the electroconductive portion during the carrying operation of the reticle (e.g., cf. Patent Literature 1).